Pressure cooker clamp



Sept- 22, 1936 *n S. G. GoRsLlNE v 2,054,857

PRESSURE cooKER CLAMP Filed Apr-11 1s, 1955 Patented `l Sept. 22,v 1936I f unl-TED STATES 2,054,851 PRESSURE cooKEa emma Samuel G. Gorsline,River-Forest, Ill., assignor to Automatic Canning Devices, Inc.,Chicago, Ill.,v y a corporation of Illinois Application April 18,

7 Claims.

The present invention relates to clamps for securing the cover upon acontainer of which the interior is under pressure, such, for example, as

- a pressure cooker, where it is" necessary to attain and maintain asealing against high pressure and also to provide for quickly and easilybreaking the seal and removing the cover.

As typical, the invention is hereinafter set forth by writtendescription predicated upon the acv companying illustrative drawing of apressure cooker embodying the invention. It will be appreciated,however, that the clamp of the invention has other and Variedapplications than that chosen as an exemplication, wherefore thedescript-ion and drawing are tolbe taken in an illustrative rather thana; limiting sense.

/ In the drawing,

Fig.. 1 is a side elevation "embodying the invention .20 Fig.l2 is atopplan View of the clamp;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the clamp partly broken away;

Fig. iis a vertical section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; and Y f Fig. 5 isa side elevation.

Having reference to .the drawing, the container body is indicated at II,a cover at I2, a pressure gauge at I 3, pressure release at I4, andhandles at I5.

of a pressure cooker respectively outwardly projecting ilanges I6 and I1arranged in parallel relation with plane adjacent faces Which may beground in order to secure a close fit, such fit being assured by ayielding gasket I8 let into a recess I9 formed in 'the ange I6, asindicated ,in Fig. 3. The particular object of the clamping meansforming the subject matter of this application is to secure 50 .upwardlyfrom the underlying jaw 2| by means of ears 23 and 24. One lof thejaws,'preferably the overlying j aw 20, is provided with upwardlyoffset'ears 25 pivotally rconnected at 26 with'ears 21 laterallyextending from the cover I2.

B5. A tie rod 28 having an adjustable connection 'I'he container andlthe cover I2 `each havel 1935, serial Nn. 17,4023` (ci. zzo- 55) withone of the jaws, preferably the overlying jaw 20 by means of a nut 29extends loosely through an aperture formed in the other jaw to a pivotalconnection at 30 with a cam lever latch 3 I. About the tie rod 26betweenthe two jaws is disposed a I coil compression spring 32 which tends toseparate the two jaws. That face of the jaw 2| adjacent the latch 3| mayadvantageously be provided with a friction plate 33 against which bearsthe cam portion 34 of the latch.

' The upper side of the overlyingjaw 20 is provided with a recess-toreceive the nut 29. The walls bounding this recess are`shaped toconform, `at least bn two sides, with sides of the nut 29 thus lockingit from rotation. Rotation of the tie 18 rod 28 is prohibited by meansof the square shoulder 35 which interts in the square opening providedin the underlying jaw member 2|.

From the release position of the parts as illustrated in Fig. 5, withthe cover I2 in place upon the container and the flanges I6 and I'l insuperposed contact relation, the clamp may be swung about its pivot 26through .an arc downwardly so that the flanges I6 and I1 lie looselybetween the jaws 2li and 2| whereupon the latch 3| is turned in acounterclockwise direction, engaging the plate 33 by-the cam 34, drawingthe jaws 28 and'2l tightly together so as to eiect a clamping actionupon the ilanges I6 and Il, which is maintained by the passing of thecam latch beyond a dead center.r

When it ls desired to release the cover from the container the latch 3|is swung in a clockwise direction releasing the cam 34 from engagementwith the plate 33 whereuponv the spring 32 causes the jaws to separateand to release the flanges' I6 and I1. 'I'he entire clamp is -then freeto be swung upwardly to the release position shown in Fig. 5.

In the event it is desirable to adjust the clampA such adjustment may beeasily accomplished by removing the jaws from the flanges I6 and I'l,compressing the spring 32 by movement of the jaw members 20 and 2|toward each other and thus releasing the nut 29 from engagement with therecess in the overlyingf jaw member 20,1111 which position it may beadjusted at will.

It will be observed that the engaging and releasing action of the clampis positive and is easily and quickly accomplished upon occasion withoutcomplicated manipulation; that the clamping device is not only simplebut eifective, inexpensive to manufacture and positive in function; thatitis applicable, not only to containers having their 'interiors underexcess but minus pressures, that vis to say. pressures below or aboveatmospheric.

' I claim: e

' 1. In .a container comprising a body member and a cover member havingmarginal laterally extending anges adapted to lie in parallel contact,sealing clamps lcomprising a flange-overly-l ing .jaw and ailange-underlying jaw hingedly connected in theA plane of the anges toenable the jaws to occupy-parallel spaced planes embracing the anges, atie rod passing through the jaws and having an adjustable connectionwith one of said jaws, a compression spring disposedbetween the clampjaws, and latching means engaging the free end of the tie rod and theadjacent jaw to clamp the two jaws together upon the tlanges inopposition to thefspring.

2. In a pressure cooker or the like comprising a body member and a covermember having marginal laterally extending ilanges adapted to lie inparallel contact with an interposed yielding gasket, sealing clampscomprising a flange-overlying jaw and a flange-underlying jawhingedlyconnected by means oi offset ears located in the plane of theflanges to enable the jaws to Ioccupy parallel spaced planes embracingthe ilanges, a tie rod adjustably connected to the flange-overlying Jawand extending through the other jaw, a compresl sion spring disposedabout the tie rod between the clamp jaws, and latching means comprisinga cam lever engaging the free end oi the tie rod and the adjacent jaw toclamp the two jaws together upon the ilangesdn opposition to the spring.

3. In a container comprising a body member and a cover member havingmarginal laterally extending ilanges adapted to lle in parallel conloi'the jaws and extending loosely through the other jaw, a compressionspring disposed between the clampjaws, and latching means engaging thefree end oi the tie rod and the adjacent jaw to clamp the two jawstogether `upon the flanges in opposition toxthe Spring.

4. In a container comprising a body member and a cover member havingmarginallaterally extending liianges adapted to lie in parallel contact.

sealing clamps comprising a iiange-overlying jaw flanges. the overlyingjaw hingedly connectedto the cover member by means of offset earslocated at one side of the plane of the flanges, a tie rod connected toone oi the jaws and extending loosely through the other jaw, acompression spring disposed between the clamp jaws, and latching meansyengaging the free end of the tie rod andthe adjacent jaw to clamp thetwo jaws together upon the ilanges inopposition to the spring.

5. A pressure cooker comprising a body portion, a cover portion, thebody and cover portions having outwardly extending ilange portions, aclamping member secured to said cooker and having a pair ot jaws adaptedto engage said flange portions, and a lever member coactlng with saidjaw flange portions, a spring tending to separate said' jaws, and alever member coacting with said jaw Ymembers and `provided at one endwith a cam vlatch for retaining said jaws in a closed position on saidilange members in opposition to the spring.

'1. In a container comprising a body member and a cover member having'marginal laterally extending ilanges adapted to lie in parallelcontact, sealing clamps comprising a iiange-overlying jaw and aflange-underlying jaw hingedly connected in the plane of Ithe anges toenable the jaws to occupy parallel spaced planes embracing the ilanges,"one of said jaws have a recess therein, a tie rod passing through thejaws, an adjustable memberv mounted on one end of said tie rod, saidadjustable member engaging the side walls of said recess, the other oisaid jaws being provided with a polygonally shaped open- .ing Vtoreceive a similarly shaped portion of said tie rod, and latching meansengaging the free end of the tie rod and the adjacent jaw to clamp thetwo jaws together-upon the anges. y

v l SAMUEL G. GoRsLINE.

vand/a ilange-underlying jaw hingedbr connected f in the plane of theilanges tc enable the jaws to ocllpy parallel spaced planes embracingthe

